Before She Forget
by Carolyn Lana Kate
Summary: He wanted to exact revenge to the woman that wronged her. Now that she is in her most vulnerable state he just couldn't say no to the temptation of taking what is rightfully d now Robin is out of the picture, all he need is to keep Regina for himself and he shall do it whether the Queen likes it or not. Will Robin be able to save Regina? This is a OutlawQueen story
1. 1 Prologue: Shadows and Mirrors

**Prologue: Shadows and Mirrors**

The curse of the shattered sight is finally broken and the townsfolk had gathered in the main streets to seek for the people they hold dear to their heart. The dwarves are goofing with one another, making fun of how silly they tried to kill each other. This is the scene that Snow, David and Regina witnessed as they rushed on the main street of Storybrooke. It was such a relief to see everyone safe from harm. Regina was even moved to tears when she saw her son, Henry, running to her side unscathed.

"Henry!" Regina breathe out as she saw her son rushing at her direction

"Mom!" Henry muttered as he gasped for air to fill his lungs that almost collapsed from running.

Then once he reached the woman that raised him as if he was her own, he immediately hugged her as if he was clinging for his dear life.

He is well aware that it was just a short while that he was cursed, but it felt good to be in the safe arms of his mother. If only Regina had not let go from their embrace, Henry wouldn't have not noticed Emma's presence, who's like him, had just let go from her mother's embrace.

Seeing everyone so happy made Regina believe again that somehow - some way - she is not doomed to suffer. For the first time she believe that she's just few steps away from her happiness. For the first time in a very long time she had one thing she thought she had lost... **HOPE.**

Hiding in the shadows, not far from the cheering crowd hides a man who had spent his cursed self, seeking for a woman who had took advantage of his foolish obsession with love. If not for his affection - or more likely _blind_ _obsession_ \- for that woman, he may have concocted hundred different ways to taunt torture and kill the woman who made him the man he is today - or better yet - the monster he turned out to be.

After all he knows all her weakness.

He knows how to break her in a way she could never recover.

**He just chose not to.**

She is his true love and hell shall freeze over if she'll end up with someone else.

He had more than enough sacrifice to let a low-life bandit to take his place in the life of his queen.

He knows her more than anyone else.

He knows the meaning of every glare, every smile and even the cryptic messages that her lips utter.

She belongs to him and he belongs to her. All he needed to do is make her realize that and he knows exactly what to do.

**Regina is his true love**... and soon enough... they will be together for the rest of eternity and he knows who to seek to make that possible.

With these final thoughts, Sydney left his hiding place to put his plans into action...

**TO BE CONTINUED...**

I know this is quite a short introduction for an ff story... But since Sydney Glass betrayed Regina and with his last words to the Queen this story has been running in my head over and over again... so I indulged myself to finally give it a shot.. hope you like it.. :)

Thank you very much or reading!


	2. Chapter 1: Last Piece of Happiness

Waking Marian

Regina gave a long sad look upon the heart she holds in her hand.

Now that the curse is finally broken and the Snow Queen gone, Marian, her truelove's wife, is finally free from the curse of a frozen heart. She must face facts, Robin must've loved her now, but Marian - Marian is his wife, the mother of his only son, the woman he chose to spend the rest of his life with - and with those things mentioned, Regina knows who is on the upper hand - and that is not her... **UNLESS **she keep Marian in this state - half alive and half dead.

_"Regina can save my mamma, right 'R'gina?" _Roland's little voice keep on ringing at the back of Regina's mind, seeing the hopeful look upon that little boy's eyes and the weary gaze that clouded Robin's eyes, she knows she have to let go of her personal interests and do the right thing... for Robin, for Roland and for herself...

_Just let her die... _

Half of her mind - the part where the selfish evil queen still exists had been telling her...

_With her out of the picture you can be happy with your soul mate.. You can have what you always wanted, your own happy ending..._

After all, how hard is it to crush that fragile thing she holds beneath the palm of her hand? One strong squeeze, she could instantly kill the woman lying before her. JUST ONE STRONG SQUEEZE SHE COULD TURN THE BEATING HEART INTO ASHES...

**_I am not that person anymore. _**Regina kept telling herself, reminding herself of how far she'd gone to become the person she is now.

_Are you sure?_

Once again, at the back of her mind, she could see herself crushing the heart in her hand. She was smiling as she watch the heart turn to dust as it slowly pour from her hands... it felt good..

**_I AM NO LONGER HER._**

Regina told herself as she shook her mind out of the vision that clouded her thoughts.

With enough conviction, she hastily returned Marian's heart to its rightful place, fearing that if she held it a little longer, the temptation might be too much to bear and she might just yield into it.

* * *

Marian gasped as she awoke from her deathly slumber and gazed upon Robin. The woman looks directly at Regina's direction with fear and surprise and then at Robin's direction as if trying to recognize the people standing before her.

"Robin!" Marian breathed with happiness as she saw her own husband standing before her.

He is there with her... waiting for her to wake up... Marian hastily stood up and threw her arms around her husband as if she was clinging for her dear life. God it felt good... and it felt strange...

Robin's embrace was like nothing she remembered. There is no familiar longing or excitement that she used to feel whenever she is with him. It is like being with the same man but a totally different person. But she doesn't care, she's alive, that is what matter for the moment.

* * *

_Does it hurt? _Regina (or perhaps her evil half) mockingly asked herself as Robin return Marian's embrace.

_If you had only crushed the heart you could have saved yourself from all the trouble tsk tsk._

**_That is no longer me. _**Regina told herself as she return Robin's imploring gaze at her. **_I am no longer the evil queen that everyone feared and hated. I am Regina now, and I want to remain this way in his eyes, I want to be the woman he loved. _**

Slowly Regina gave Robin a weak smile as she shifted her gaze away as if trying to hide the pain from pouring out her brown orbs.

She did the right thing...

Who would've thought being good could be this complicated?

Do you have any idea how weird and awkward it felt like to walk beside the man you love and his family- by family, it means your true love, his wife (that you once or twice tried to kill) and their adorable son?

The uneasy sense of being on the sidelines- of being the third wheel, it is the last thing Regina wanted to feel after doing something right over and over again. If it was for her choice she would have left these three and walk away - and yet here she is - doing the exact opposite- and worse - torturing herself.

_Enough is enough _Regina thought as she decided to leave the three unnoticed and with a heavy heart and swollen ankles (**FYI** it is not easy to walk from the woods to the main streets with a 4 inch heels clucking beneath her weight) she gracefully sat upon her favorite seat at Granny's counter table.

She could feel the boring gaze of the townsfolk at her direction. Good god- she wanted to incinerate them all! Regina's body stiffens in every time the diner door rings - knowing that anytime soon someone will approach her with another you-did-the-right-thing-speech.

That is the last thing she will need to hear.

And then as if someone was actually trying to mock her. Someone stood behind her at stare directly at her direction as if trying to mentally communicate at her.

_Dammit Swann!_

_"_Please, I'd rather be alone." Regina exasperatedly muttered as she felt the ominous presence behind her. She already exhausted her last energy trying to stand tall and wear her placid facade in front of them all and a hope speech is the last thing she'll need today.

And then as if mocking her - that person actually took a seat to the stool beside her.

"I thought we should talk."

Regina suddenly snapped her head from the source of the voice only to see Marian looking at her with a warm smile. She is unsure if the woman was actually trying to make amends or make fun of her. At this moment her rational judgment for a person's genuine intention are a bit cloudy. Especially with this woman who might take away her happiness.

"Thank you for saving my life," Marian said as she noticed how Regina tried to shift away from her direction., " twice actually" she added as she felt how awkward it feels like to be saved by a woman who wanted her dead just a couple of weeks ago.

"Forget about it." Regina replied with a smile - if there is one thing she had like about Marian it is her humble attitude.

"I can't-" Marian said while she stare directly at Regina's face - this time, her smile is long gone and there was a sense of reluctance at her voice "because Robin can't. I see the way you look to one another and I understand. For me, it's only been a short time that I had been away." Marian's voice trailed off as if she is afraid to tell the words she is about to say.

There was an undeniable sense of sadness that could be traced on the woman's voice.

"But for him, years had passed. His heart moved on. He's in love with you, Regina and I think you're in love with him." there was a little tremble in her voice. Heaven knows how much she was in pain at that moment.

"That doesn't really matter." Regina smiled sadly at Marian, "he is a man of honor, he made a vow to you and he's going to keep it." Regina look directly at Marian's eyes, trying to assure the woman that whatever happens - Robin will choose his family and that she is willing to step away... as far away as possible.

"I don't want him to be with me out of obligation - I want to be chosen." Marian replied, "If his heart will lead him to me fine - but if it does what I suspect and it leads him to you..." Marian's voice began to trail away as her eyes began to water and her lips began to tremble - she was a complete vision of a woman who had just got her heart broken and as if trying to muster her last strength she continued,"... I will step out of the way."

With these last words, Marian left Regina pondering at her last words knowing that if she stayed longer she will just die of a broken heart. But for Regina, those words gave her a flicker of hope knowing that there is still a slim chance that she and Robin could still be together.

At that moment, Snow's words keep running in her mind.

_When you do good, the universe takes care of you._

For once - the foolish princess was right. Things are going her way.

* * *

Regina sat silently with Robin on the bench as the man watch his wife and his son feeding the ducks at the lake, having fun and enjoying each other's company.

Her heart sank as she realized what will happen next. He is leaving her... Again...

"They look happy." Regina said casually while trying to hide the worries she's feeling. She need to hear Robin's decision now before hope start to spring and then be crushed later on. The suspense is killing her already.

"Having Marian back to his life - it means so much to him." Robin replied with a smile on his lips and his eyes focused in his little man.

"I understand," Regina replied sadly, "At the end of the day, our children should come first."

"Regina -" Robin shifted his seat and stare at Regina, confused.

"She's his mother." Regina finished off his sentence in as-a-matter-of-fact kind of tone - she would rather blurt it out rather than hearing it from him.

She had rehearsed this scene at the back of her mind over and over again and yet - she had never thought it would be as difficult as this.

But Robin... he is just making things even harder, he was just sitting there, staring at her with an amused smile.

"I choose you." Robin replied with a sheepish smile on his lips.

Regina snorted, thinking that what she heard was a just a result of her hopeful imagination, but seeing the love and sincerity seeping through Robin's eyes, it felt _surreal._

"But... Roland?" she said doubtfully, "what would this look like to him?"

"It's gonna look like a messy, complicated situation which it is." Robin looks at his son's direction as if pondering how the future will be like for him and his family "but if I live back to my life with Marian, I'd been living a lie. The best example that I can set to my son is to live truthfully, to follow my heart..." his unwavering gaze from his son shifted to the direction of the woman who hold his heart. "To you..."

With this final confession, Robin turns out his pockets to reveal the page 23rd of Henry's book, the page wherein they should have shared their first kiss. The page where in Regina had chosen her happiness over power... her love over vengeance.

At that moment, Regina felt an overwhelming sense of happiness, the certain kind of happiness that she hasn't felt for a very long time.

But just like before... It couldn't last.

The future that she picture in the back of her mind with Robin dissipated from her thought at the very moment Roland cried out for help.

Marian was lying on the ground, unconscious and her body was covered with frost.

Robin rushed in the direction of his son and his wife lying unconscious on the ground.

Everything that happened next is a complete blur for Regina, it was so fast that all she remember are bits and pieces of memories of her telling or rather convincing Robin to leave Storybrooke and live in a land without magic in order to save Marian. And the thought that it may be the very last moment that she and Robin will be together – before the moment that she will lose him **forever…**

* * *

Regina sat silently in her car, watching Robin saying his goodbyes to his Merry Men, and from time to time staring at her direction as if his eyes were trying to communicate with her.

Rumplestiltskin was right, if she would just let Marian die… If she would just…

**NO!**

Regina shook her head as her grip on the steering wheel tightened and her visions turned red, her thoughts starts to frighten her – it was as if the Evil Queen inside her is somehow trying slip through her defenses and starting to slowly take over her once again. This madness should stop **NOW**.

Regina step out of the car and with a heavy heart she briskly walk towards Robin who had been waiting for her. His eyes are already glistening with his unshed tears.

The sooner they get over this, the lesser pain they will have to inflict upon themselves.

"The diner I told you about is just a few miles down the road," Regina said in haste, hoping that casual talking will take her mind off the pain that she was suffering at the moment.

"Right." Robin took a look at the direction that Regina pointed out, and then back to her, "Uh – Regina-"

"And do you have the map that I gave you? And – and the money, so you shall have plenty to get you start with." Regina babbled on as if trying not to let Robin speak any word that might make their separation more difficult.

"Yes but-"

"Good." Regina cut him off once again, "then you should go."

"Thank you."

Regina just gave him a weak smile knowing that Robin is suffering the same pain that she feels.

She had been in the same situation over and over again, she had said her goodbyes to too many people that she hold dear to her heart – but this – this is the most painful separation that she had ever felt.

She doesn't wish to push Robin away, but the sooner they get this done with, the sooner they could save Marian and end the pain and agony that this separation is giving them.

Regina witnessed at how Marian's health starts to deteriorate and with this she knows she shouldn't waste any more time.

"She needs to cross the line, **_NOW_**."

Robin held his wife close, as if he was trying to be the strength that the woman is starting to lose at the moment. But his legs are also giving him away. As much as he tried to take a step towards the townline – the heavier his legs – his whole body seem to be.

"You must go, I'll be right behind you, I promise, I just need a moment."

Marian stare weakly at Robin and then back to Regina.

"Thank you," Marian breath out before she slowly turns her back and took a step outside the town line.

And with that, Regina silently watch as Marian's skin turn back to its natural glow and her health had return the very moment they went out of Storybrooke.

How Roland's face lit with happiness knowing that his mother is back to her vitality and how Marian carry the little boy in her arms with the kind of love the Regina could have given him, if only things were different.

But it is not.

* * *

"Robin?" Marian called out as she realized she was standing in the middle of nowhere – with no one else but her son by her side. She felt scared, not only for herself but also for her son's wellbeing.

Robin is a man of honor, Marian knows it very well, but with Regina in the equation, there is an uncertainty that Robin will choose them over her. Seeing the look in his eyes, the way they look at each other, it might only take a miracle for him to choose her – for him to choose them.

And if he choose her – The Queen – she will be lost.

* * *

"Your family is waiting, go."

Slowly, he turns his back away from her. From the future he sees that they could have shared together

Robin could hear his heart breaking in a million shards as he heard Regina uttering those words. He could see the pain she is trying to hide beneath those eyes, the sadness she is trying to conceal beneath her placid façade.

The Regina he knows is once again, hiding behind the Queen that everyone had seen her to be, the Queen that is incapable of pain, of vulnerability, of weakness.

But he could see past the charade that his true love is so skilled at doing.

Just one more step and he will be out of Storybrooke forever. But never does he thought a burdened heart could weigh more than all the gold that he stole in the past because at that very moment, he could even hardly lift his foot to take that one last step towards the town line.

He can't leave – not until he told Regina what he wanted to say all this time.

And with these thoughts, he quickly took a step back – back to the woman who holds his heart – the woman he wanted to spend the remaining moments of his life.

There is no way that he could tell her those words without breaking into tears- so he just let his kiss express everything that his words could never accomplish.

He doesn't care if his merry men see this moment of vulnerability with their leader because at that moment – that very moment- all he cares about is Regina and what will happen to her without him by her side.

He deepens the kiss as he lovingly caress her cheeks. And when Regina ended their kiss, all he could do is close his eyes to stop his tears from falling.

"I.." _love you.. _Robin tried to speak out the words but his throat is too constricted with the tears he is trying to keep at bay.

"I know…" Regina interrupted; knowing that hearing those words from him will just make the separation even more difficult. She knows how broken Robin was at that moment, and she needs to be strong for him, to show that she will be fine even without him by her side. Besides, she no longer needs the confirmation coming from his lips for her heart already knows.

Her heart already understands.

* * *

So he took his hands off her face and tried to gently push him away.

But Robin refused to let go. He just held her hand as he slowly took a step backwards, towards the town line where his family is waiting for him.

He just stare into her direction, he just held her hand as his vision of her starts to blur the moment he finally stepped out of the town line.

_Please don't let go… _ Robin wished with his whole heart as she tried to paint the last vision of the Queen before her face fades as his whole body had left the town line and only their hands connect them together in between reality of the world they will be trapped in to.

But what hurt him most was the moment Regina had let go of his hand, that moment he knew she was lost to him forever.

And with that thought, the tears that he had been trying to hide had flow freely upon his cheeks and down to the streets where their path will no longer meet.

With these thoughts, he turns his back to where the town limits used to stand. He will find her again. They will find each other again.

He knows in his heart they'll find each other again, he knows in his heart because he have **_FAITH. _**

Faith that all - everything between them is just all about timing.

* * *

Regina just stood there, on the edge of the town, her eyes glistening with the tears she's holding back as she watched Robin's eyes stare blankly at her direction and as she watched his tears fall down his cheek.

So much for HOPE…

So much for FAITH…

She should've known – she should've believed sooner that villains don't get happy ending. If she did, perhaps she will not be hurting in a way she is hurting right now.

**_This is goodbye…_**

This is her final thought as she dug her hands in the pocket of her coat, and much to her surprise, she found the folded page of what could've been the page 23 of Henry's book. And this realization hit her.

**She couldn't change what's already been done.**

She and Robin are already **over** even before they even **begun**.

So with a heavy heart, she walk away from the direction of the town line as she tore the page of the book into pieces and as she scattered it on the ground as the wind slowly scatter the broken pieces on the dirt road just the same way as her wishful dreams of a happy ending **_ENDS…_**

Not far from where Regina's car was parked, pair of hateful eyes is watching the former mayor as she brokenly drive away from the town boundary. Now that the former Queen was at her weakest, it's the perfect time for him to enact the thing he wanted to do for a very long time. Vengeance. She's broken like a fragile bird who had just lost its ability to fly. Things couldn't be better for him for he knows that his next actions will make the Queen fall on her knees and beg for her dear life. With his camera at hand he took a last pictures of the mayor that he could add to his collections.

Heaven knows that he wanted Regina so bad he could taste it. It's about time that the Evil Queen have the taste of her own terrible medicine.

* * *

**That is all so far folks, thank you very much once again for reading my fanfic, I hope you enjoy it. Lots of love, Besos!**


	3. Chapter 2: THE CURSE OF THE EMPTY HEART

**Hello guys! here's the update! I know i keep putting off or leaving some pieces about what Sydney Glass has in store for Regina. This chapter is a bit creepy and obnoxious (in my opinion). Thank you very much for your lovely reviews and for reading my story lots of love to you guys! thank you!  
**

* * *

**5 hours ago**

Mr. Gold carefully hid the dagger in his coat the moment he heard his doorbell rang as the door in his antique shop opened, knowing that the pirate who yields to his every whim had returned with his good news, the people from Arandelle had finally returned to their land.

"So tell me, pirate, how does it feel like to tell a lie on the face of the one you love?" Gold says with an evident smirk on his face.

"You tell me, Rumplestiltskin, after all it is something you had done very well." 's smirk suddenly wiped off his face as he realized that the voice is not from the man he despised the most. And when he look back to see the person speaking to him in such manner, he saw the person he least expected to see.

"Well, well Mr. Glass," Gold turn his back to the man as he securely closed his vault where he kept Killian's heart, and when he secured it with his magic, he once again faced Regina's former minion, "to where do I owe this intrusion?"

"Let's just say, I am here for a deal that you certainly cannot turn down."

"Well, I am afraid your visit here is futile." Gold replied confidently, "Everything that I ever wanted are all in the tips of my hand."

"Are you sure, Dark One?" Sydney replied tauntingly, "because I have something that even the Snow Queen have not told you about. Something that your powers of foresight have not informed you about."

Seeing that Mr. Gold is rather speechless, Sydney came closer to the Dark one's counter and run his hand across the glass stand before him.

"Let's just say that you did succeed in freeing yourself from your dagger, how sure can you be that it will provide you everything you needed? Everything you...**wanted**." Sydney smirked as he roams around the antique shop inspecting the little trinkets around the shop that was once owned by the people from the Enchanted Forest.

**_"_**Well since you are so clever with that kind of idea," Rumple replied trailing behind the disgraced man,"and I am not saying that I do believe you - but let's just say that your words somehow made me interested with that information." Rumple paused for a moment and then continued warily, "What would you possibly want in return?"

"Well it's just someone you no longer hold value but holds dearly to my heart" Sydney stopped in his tracks as his eyes nestled towards the puppets (that were once Marco's parents) at the corner of the Dark One's shop, he took three long strides, grabbed the puppet's limp frame and played their small wooden hands.

"Whose unfortunate soul would you like me to give you in return?"

"Just one of your little marionettes we often fondly call... **_Regina."_**

* * *

It was uncharacteristically dark as Regina drove down the Mifflin Street that evening right after she, Henry and Emma left the sorcerer's mansion. The lamp posts on the street are out, the nearest house next to her was uncharacteristically quiet and the only sound that you can hear are the thunder that never failed to bother Regina.

Heavy rain started to pour as Regina dropped her car in her garage and moved past her garden to her front porch. The strong gust of wind along with the heavy rain made it difficult for the brunette to walk past her garden and by the time she did, she was already soaking wet.

So when she got into her house, Regina immediately went to her walk in closet to change her clothing, but by the time that she had changed to her comfortable night gown, her lights suddenly went out.

Tired and annoyed, Regina went to her room to get her cellphone to call her former step-daughter-turned mayor, Mary Margaret to report another power interruption in Storybrooke, how she hoped it is not another infamous villain that caused this inconvinience. However, by the time that she opened her door, she was surprised to find that it was not her room that welcomed her.

**It was the King's chambers in enchanted forest.**

**Dark and gloomy and smells like death.**

Frightened, Regina took a step back to escape, but her body stumbled across a body that was blocking her path and when she looks back, she was horrified to see Leopold standing before her.

**His hands are gripping her shoulders.**

**His eyes, dark and lifeless.**

His face is filled with dark marks caused by the venom of the Agrabban vipers.

Regina watch as Leopold's lips twitch into a menacing smile that revealed his yellow and now rotting teeth and maggots slithering out of the corners of his mouth.

"I am glad you are here to please me, my Queen." Leopold said as he slowly leans closer to claim her lips, the stench of rotting flesh starts to overwhelm her fuzzy thoughts and made her nauseous as Regina fought and struggle to wrench herself free from the grips of this sadist old man whilst avoiding the king's lips touch her face and when she did break free she ran as far and as fast as her bare feet could without looking back. Never will she let another man force her into doing things she doesn't want to do.

She no longer cares where her feet brought her as long as it is far from the castle that imprisoned her from her misery.

It was only until she stumbles across an upturned root that caused her to fall on the muddy ground that she realized she was running through the forest.

_**Robin.**__.._

The mere thought of his beloved archer caused her eyes to water and made her tears to mix with the rain that are now flowing down her face.

She is scared and lost and she misses him. That moment she felt like a little girl lost in the forest. Scared and vulnerable.

"Are you okay, sweetheart?" Regina was awaken from her thoughts as she heard the familiar voice that send shiver down her spine as she realized that it was her father speaking to her. A sudden sense of longing filled her aching heart and the urge of hugging her father filled her whole being. He always makes her feel safe.

But when she was about to run to her father's arms, she saw gaping hollow in his chest, the place where his heart is supposed to reside...

Until she remember ripping it out and crushing it into ashes as a price for a curse that will feed her greed for vengeance. A curse that made the darkness feast her soul.

"Father?" Regina said frightfully as she tried to reach out to her father, but the warmth and kindness that she will usually see in Prince Henry's face is now contorted with hate and anger.

"I am sorry, Father." Regina still tried to reach out hoping that she could do something to undo what she had already done.

"Sorry, is that all that you can say?"

Out of nowhere Graham stood before her with a knife at hand and ready for assualt. Behind the huntsman stood hundreds of people she could not recognize, but she could sense the undeniable anger that filled their being towards her.

"For all the lives that you destroyed, do you think a simple apology will suffice!?" Graham spat as he gripped Regina's neck and stranggle her, "Even death is not enough for all the wickedness that you brought to this world, you will have to suffer." Graham smiled as his eyes wander from her head to her dangling toes. "Death is too good for you."

Regina tried to break free and use her magic but she was frozen and unable to conjure anything to protect her. She could feel her lungs almost giving out with the lack of air and she could already see dark spots filling her vision. She look helplessly back at her father hoping… praying that he will save her like all the other times that he did when she is in danger.

But he just stood there and watch unblinkingly as life is slowly being sucked out from her being. There is a smile of satisfaction that etched her father's lifeless face.

When she thought she is about to die, Graham let go of her throat and she wheezed as she tried to catch her breath and fill her deprived lungs with air as she felt her body fell on the ground. She thought it was over and tried to crawl away from all these people who are closing her in, until she felt someone drag her by the hair and felt her body smashed to a cold stone before she felt rough ropes tied around her neck, hands and legs. .

When Regina tried to look upon the face of the person who dragged her she felt as if life was drained out of her face as she saw Owen, or better yet to say, Greg Mendell with a torch on his hand and a smirk on his face. He was more malevolent that she remembered.

"It's about time you pay for all of your mistakes." Greg said as he stood with all the people whom the Evil Queen had killed. Regina writhed and striggled as she watched Greg raised his torch and cried out, "Burn the evil Queen!"

Regina stood there, voiceless and vulnerable as she watch everyone throw their torches at her and felt the flame slowly burning her skin. It was painful, but not as painful as she watched the last two people who threw their torches at her.

It was her father and Daniel.

"Father, Daniel, please don't do this." Regina begged, "Help me, please, I love you."

"You love us?" Daniel replied mockingly, " You're _love only_ brought us pain and misery. And for that..." Daniel lips curved to a wicked smile, " you shall pay."

"Burn the **Evil Queen!**" Daniel cheered as the other people roared in agreement.

With these last words she watched everyone laugh and jeer as the flame slowly consume her body. She squirmed and fought while she saw the flame burning her outstreched arms and legs, her heart pounding while her mind is fuzzy from the smoke and panic that's overwhelming her.

"No! Please stop this!" She cried out of pain and fright, "Daniel! Father! Help me please! That is not me anymore please." But those words did not escape from her mouth and that terrified her.

She saw them melt before her very eyes like melting candle figures as she felt herself succumb to her own demise. She saw their eyes fall out of their sockets as their skin and clothing is slowly consumed by the flames. They are all laughing as if they are taking pleasure as the flames consume their being.

**"No!**"

* * *

"No!" Regina screamed as she jolt awake on her bed, her body was soaked with her own sweat and her muscles are still shaking due to her nightmare, "It is just a nightmare, nothing more." Regina tried to assure herself but she knew deep inside, that is not true.

For her, it seems like her dark deeds in the past are starting to take their toll on her.

It was still dark outside and when she took a look at the alarm clock on her bedside table she realized that its about 4 o'clock in the morning and yet here she was, wide awake at this ungodly hour for a Sunday morning.

Still trying to calm her nerves, Regina decided to go downstairs for a glass of water. But as she took her final step and turn the lights on her corridor on the way to her kitchen she was more than surprised on the sight that welcomed her.

"What the hell..." Regina gasped as her stomach suddenly churned when she saw pictures of her scattered all over the room, pictures that as she looked closely, was taken during the first curse. And all of those pictures are taken without her knowledge, she could tell simply by the angles that the shot was taken, she was not looking at any of the pictures. It was as if someone was keeping track on her in every moment of her day.

She saw a picture a couple of days after Owen and his father visited the town, it was during the time that she invited Owen's father for dinner at her house.

Then there was another picture of her carrying little Henry to Granny's, and there was her and Graham talking while she was picking her apples on the ground right after Emma almost murder her apple tree with a chainsaw

It was like she was seeing the last 30 years that she spent in Storybrooke within these series of photographs.

But what bothered her the most are her pictures in her most unguarded moment. Pictures of her in her sleep, in her walk in closet changing her clothes and even in her bathroom when she was taking a shower. Clearly, somebody is already watching over her even before her first curse was broken. Only one person has the ability to do this without being caught.

And right now, he could still be inside her house.

Alarmed, Regina conjured a fireball on her left hand as she rushed to her front door expecting that her locks are all broken. But much to her surprise, it is all securely locked up in its rightful places.

"Damn." Regina muttered to her self. _He is still here._

_How come he was able to enter her house without breaking her alarms?_

_Could it be magic?_

_But it's impossible, he is powerless in this world, he is powerless ever since he had broken free from his imprisonment as a Genie. _

_He is no more than a bumbling idiot who parades himself around town with his camera._

Regina swallowed hard, Sydney said he is powerless, so he is no match against her so why does her heart hammered her chest? Why does she felt so agitated at the thought of the man in her house when she could simply toast him to ashes?

"Come out wherever you are, traitor!" Regina yelled with her fireball still at hand, "I know your still here! Show yourself you coward!"

Regina was expecting rustling wind and an ominous presence to surround her residence but none if it happened, the only response that she received is silence, it was as if she was just delusional and talking to herself. Enraged, Regina furiously tore of all the photographs scattered on the walls of her house. It was then she noticed the yellow parchment in between the wall and the golden mirror beside her staircase.

She roughly threw the photographs she just snached from her roughly grabbed the neatly folded paper. And found an all too familiar handwritiing on the piece of paper_**.**_

_**My wish will soon come true. We will soon be together and you shall never leave my **_**side_._**

_**For you will always be mine as I will always be yours.**_

_**With my deepest affection for her Majesty,**_

_**S.G**_

_"Sydney.."_

* * *

**6 hours earlier**

And he just stood there hidden in the dark corner of her room as he painfully watched the Mayor in her misery. Watching as she sob in both frustration and sadness as she tries to put the pages together like a fragile puzzle that will save her life. And slowly, he could see how the Mayor's magical aura had slowly dimmed as she succumbs to her sadness. As much pain that it may cause him to see the love of his life in such predicament, he knows that the same sadness will be the key ingredient for him and Regina to be together.

It's all just a matter of time.

Sydney's thoughts are cut-short as he heard to former Mayor leaving the desk of her study and walk past him. If only Regina's magic was in its prime as it used to be, she would instantly feel the presence of the man as he watched her every move. But she didn't. And this made Sydney's smile grow even wider. He just watched her as she carefully removed her robes and reveals her nearly exposed body in her night gown.

He didn't move from the spot that he stood knowing that the invisibility spell that he cast is only present on that specific corner of the room but still seeing the fragile flesh of the queen standing just a couple of feet away from him stirred something in him. Sydney swallowed hard as he watched Regina mounting her huge master bed that exposed her soft thigh.

He wanted her more than anything.

And if he just followed his instincts, he could take her right there and then. But he knows that for so long, Regina has been and will always be Rumple's favorite merchandise, his favorite toy and the fact that Rumpelstiltskin is possessive in everything he owns made him aware of the protection spell that the Dark One casted for Regina the moment he held her hand in the car.

The Dark One actually tried to protect the Queen from him.

He waited, one minute, an hour, he just stood there waiting in the darkness until he is certain that the Queen is deep in her slumber and she is, he carefully made his way beside the sleeping brunette.

She is a beauty beyond compare. That he is sure. He watched as her chest slowly heaves in every breath that she takes. A smile slowly crept his face as he gently removes the strands of hair that slightly covers her face, the hair that covers the perfection lying before him.

He crouched toward the sleeping frame of the brunette, his lips almost touching the woman's cheeks, and softly, quietly he casted a spell that will help him weaken Regina's magic. A cup of sadness, added with a spoonful of regret mixed with self-loathing: **A perfect recipe to render the Queen's magic useless**.

He watched as the Queen's peaceful façade slowly contorted in fear and soft whimpers scape from her mouth as if asking for help. Sydney smiled as Regina made feeble movements under her blankets as if she was fending herself for someone and he envisioned himself on top while Regina is lying beneath him fighting against his advances.

That would be sweet.

With a wave of his hand, he magically transported himself just outside the Mayor's chamber door. He just couldn't wait any more. Digging in his pockets, Sydney gently took out his cellphone from his pockets and dialed a number of someone he knows in desperate need of his assistance.

He waited for someone to pick up the other line as he lovingly posts the pictures he collected in Regina's servitude during the last 30 years on her walls.

"Hello Gold," Sydney smiled as someone picked up the phone, "I do believe, there is an agreement that we need to finish, don't we?"

"You did this!" Gold hissed in the other line.

"Oh did I sneak in your shop and callously put the gauntlet on top of the suitcase that your wife will be using for you little trip?" Sydney asked innocently, "Ofcourse, I did!" he chuckled.

"Damn you!" Gold yelled on the other line, but his voice does not reflect the kind of power they used to have, right now, he sounded like an old weak person who tries to scare young children, "what do you want from me?"

"I believe you already know the answer to that simple question." Sydney replied as his eyes focused on Regina's photo in his hands while she was taking a shower, " I want Regina, Gold, and if you had just agreed to the deal I offered to you earlier, you and your dear wife could have been half way across New York by now. But you oh so cleverly shut me off. Tsk. Tsk. Bad judgment, Dark One."

"And now that you took my happiness away from me, what makes you think that I will make deals to you now? You took **everything** that matters to me. There is no coming back to it now!"

"Oh, I don't think so." Sydney said teasingly, "What if I tell you that you can get Belle, Henry, your magic and everything else you wanted even if you are outside the premises of our beloved town." Sydney said in a dreamy tone as he softly kissed the Queen's picture in his hands, "As I told you earlier, Gold, I can help you get everything you wanted, just give me that **_one thing I always wanted._**"

Sydney waited for a response on the other line, but when he realized that the Dark One on the other line was left silent he continued, "So Dark One, Give me the Queen in exchange of your happy ending, Do we have a deal?"

"As if you have enough magic to that."

"Do you still doubt my skills dark one? I may not have enough magic to give you your happy ending, but I know some people from New York who can help you get one."

Rumple swallowed hard as he weighed his options. His relationship with Regina was more than civil in the past months that they worked hand in hand. When she chose to give him back his dagger instead of keeping it in her possession (he knows how tempting it is to control the dark one) she instantly earned his respect and a soft spot in his heart. But as much as he wanted to protect his former student and her safety, he couldn't risk not having his happy ending, his **_Belle_**. Besides if he was to choose between him and the rest of humantiy. He will choose his convenience before everyone else.

He had decided.

"It's a **deal. **Tell me exactly what you want to **_happen_** and what you **_want to do_**."

"Well for starter, I will need to break the protection spell you had given her majesty and then there's a heart that I need for the curse I am currently working." Rumple wince as he could hear the smile forming on the lips of the man he was speaking to in the other line, "the curse of the empty heart."

"And whose heart would you like to get?"

"The heart of the man who first owned Regina's heart."

"You mean Daniel, the pathetic stable who died in the hands of Regina's mother." Rumple replied in a matter-of-factly tone, " Sorry to burst your pretty little bubble news kid, his heart is not in my possession. Its been crushed.. to dust."

"But that does not mean you don't have the dust."

Sydney waited for the dark one's response while finishing his _**love letter**_ for Regina, but when he realized that there was just silence on the other line, he continued.

"So Gold,tell me, where do you keep his remains?"

"Somewhere no one will suspect," Rumple replied in hushed tone, "Now tell me what will I get in return."

"A lead to a powerful sorceress who once lived in the darkest depth on the sea."

"Ha! Ursula?! What could she do for me? She's just a calamari out of the sea. Stop playing games with me Sydney!"

Sydney just laughed in the other laugh. A kind of laugh that even the dark one felt shivers running down his spine.

"That calamari -" Sydney replied, "And your ticket for your happy ending. I know where the author is"

Rumple smiled, "Now we are **talking."**

* * *

**Yes! Finally I have updated and I hop i did not bore you to death in this chapter. I wanted to update this for a very long time, but with what's happening to the show, I have no idea what to do.. so I am so sorry if this is not as good as i hoped it would be but thank you very much for your time in reading this and thank you so much for your patience. Constructive criticism and reviews will be highly appreciated. thank you so so so so much.. Love yah! besos!**


	4. Chapter 3: The Fallen Pieces

**Hello! Thank you very much for your kind words and for following and reading my stories. I love reading a lot of fanfictions and I am so glad that you guys enjoyed what I am writing. You people are so nice to me and I am very thankful for it. I was having difficulties in writing this chapter because honestly my vocabulary in English is extremely limited and I am at lost in where I am going. There are a couple of things I would like to put in this chapter and I just couldn't resist to put them here all at once. I hope you enjoy it guys and thank you very much! Love yah! P.S. This is a pretty sappy part of my FF and I am not a very sunny-life is full of rainbows-kind of person so I tried to make this as sweet at I possibly could... *crossfingers*  
**

* * *

"I kinda missed this." Henry said in a trance like voice as he and Regina walk their way to Granny's for breakfast.

"Missed what?" Regina asked curiously, not really understanding what her son wanted to imply.

"This." He replied with a shrug of his shoulder, looking around the people who walk casually across the streets, stopping by to take a look at the recently opened shoe shop nearby, "You walking with me around town, grabbing breakfast together, just… this. Us. Me being just me and you being… my Mom." Henry smiled to himself as if he was reminiscing the things he and his mother used to do. "Just this. Happy."

Regina smiled at her son.

"I am always happy whenever you are around." Regina replied with warm smile, but it is the kind of smile that barely reached her eyes.

Henry looked at his mom but his smile just faded away, "But you are not as happy when Robin was around." He murmured sadly.

"Henry." Regina frowned with what her son just said and she stopped on her tracks as they were a corner away from Granny's Diner, "You know that's not true."

"It is, Mom." Henry replied as he paused from walking and then faced his mother and saw the guilt that was drawn on upon her face, "It's not like I am jealous of your _'you-know'_ or anything like that –" Henry said defensively, and then his voice changed into a much calmer, solemn tone, " It's just that, you look happier when _**we**_ are around. And now that Robin's gone, that happiness.. It's just not the same – there's always something missing about you – your smile. I miss your smile… your real smile whenever you are _really _happy. And you can't say otherwise because I can tell whenever you lie, I know you that much."

Regina stepped toward her son and wrapped an arm around him, pulling him closer to her. Gosh, he's almost taller than her now. It was just like yesterday he was just this little boy who can hardly reach her hands whenever they are walking around and now he's… almost a man… how time flies..

"Henry." Regina said softly as she looked deeply at his eyes, "I am happy. As long as your happy, I am happy. _**You**_ are more than _enough_ for me." Regina bestowed a kiss on top of his head and then she chuckled as she tousled his hair, "Stop analyzing things too much. You're young, let adults deal with adult problems. I can handle myself. Stop nosing around." She said jokingly as she run a finger at the top of his nose.

"Well, you have to blame yourself for that. I got it from you." He replied and this time there is a smug look on his face. But the smug look suddenly disappeared as he saw someone from the corner of his eyes and he immediately pushed himself away from his mother's side and panicked on which way he should look to go run and hide. This sudden change in Henry's actions earned a frown from Regina's face.

It was only when a young blonde called out Henry's name approached them with a perfect smile on her face. Her golden hair tied in a neat pony tail and her soft features is slightly illuminated by the sun rays. It was Paige – or was it Grace? Whatever, it is Jefferson's daughter.

Regina smirked at her son when she saw his cheeks turned from white to crimson red.

"Hi, Henry!" Paige or Grace – whatever her name is, came up to them, "Good morning, Madame Mayor." Regina gave the young girl a warm smile. This girl is very well mannered – not like his father.

"Just call me Regina," she replied with the smile on her face, "I am no longer the mayor."

"I can call you by your name?" the girl replied with amazement, "cool!"

"Right, cool." Regina laughed softly as she mimicked the young lady while she secretly elbowed her son who just stood there by her side, frozen on the spot, "Aren't you going to greet you friend Henry?" she teased her son, "what's your name again?"

"Grace." Henry and Grace replied in unison which made him blush even more.

"uhh.. Hi." Henry said timidly as he made an awkward waving gesture. If only Grace was not around, she would've laughed so hard at Henry.

Grace smiled, and then the girl looked back at Regina, "So, Miss Regina, I would just like to –"

"Grace?" Regina saw Jefferson exiting Granny's diner, jogging his way to his daughter, "Why did you left the diner without telling me – oh, Regina." Jefferson almost jumped back as he saw the former mayor standing before him, "You're here."

"Obviously I am," Regina's smile disappeared and replaced by a frown as she saw Jefferson suddenly jerked his left arm to hide something in his back, "unless you are just seeing things again, then I suggest you are just seeing apparitions of me and my son." She said with her right brow raised and her face unamused.

"Right." Jefferson replied staring at her straight in the eye.

Regina would've enjoyed talking with Grace, but certainly not with her father.

"We need to go, and I certainly do not want to hold you back to wherever you and your daughter needs to go, excuse us." Regina said formally as she tugged her son away. Despite of everything that happened in the last month, she and Jefferson still have bad blood running between them and she don't want Henry be part of that mess, "Let's go Henry."

"Wait, Miss Regina," Grace said as she softly laughed beside her while she watched as her father shifted himself and unable to decide to leave or to stay, "I just.. Uh.. Papa, can you please tell her?" Grace said bashfully.

Regina's eyes furrowed but her features softened as she look down at the girl, "Tell me what?" she asked, only to be answered by Jefferson stretching his arms on her direction, he was giving her a pink envelope, "What is this?" she asked warily.

"It's a house and lot in a vase." Jefferson said sarcastically as he watched Regina opened the parchment in her hand, her eyes still glaring at him, "It's an invitation for a party I am having for my daughter's birthday." He stated.

"My Papa is throwing a ball for me," Grace said excitedly, "Just like the ones Papa used to attend in Enchanted Forest! Isn't it amazing?" Grace smiled at Henry, "and we can dress up like the ones in your book!"

If not for Regina staring blankly at Jefferson, she could've seen the glow in her son's eyes at the thought of him dressing like his Grandpa Charming.

"The balls you used to attend huh?" Regina said mockingly at Jefferson.

"Yes." Jefferson said pointedly, "The ones I_ used_ to attend, _your majesty."_

"Very well then," Regina replied as she fold the invitation and put it back in the envelope, "I will tell Emma about this. I am sure she will be glad to be there with Henry."

"But you're going to my party to, right Miss Mills?" Grace replied hopefully, "I would really love to have you there as well. Having a Queen at my first ball will be the best thing I could ever have."

"I can't promise you anything dear," she replied, "Besides, having an Evil Queen on such joyous occasion doesn't sound very nice."

"But you're not." Grace smiled, "actually, you are our hero. And someday when I grow up, I just want to grow up to be like you."

Jefferson and Regina winced at this statement.

"Believe me, it is the last thing you'll wanted to be." Regina replied as she looked at Jefferson who is nodding his head with agreement.

"Definitely the last thing you'll want to be," Jefferson murmured as he wrapped an arm around his daughter's shoulder, "So I guess, I'll look forward in seeing the two of you and the rest of the charmings at the ball?"

"I believe so." She replied, "We have to go."

Regina and Jefferson nod their heads goodbye as they went on opposite direction, but they were merely a few steps away when Jefferson called out her name once again.

"Please, wear something that won't fright the children." Jefferson said with a funny look in his face, remembering the kind of gown's this woman used to wear back in Enchanted Forest.

"Oh, shut up." Regina rolled her eyes as they left the streets and headed towards the diner.

* * *

Regina and Henry are enjoying their meals at Granny's when Regina's phone suddenly rang. It was Emma calling. Regina left the table with a grunt right after she excused herself with Henry and went outside the diner

Henry just watched her mother through the diner window as she argue – as usual – with his other mom. He is happy with this friendship that bonds his two mothers. It is amazing how these two completely different women found a common ground with him. And that made him feel special.

His thoughts are suddenly interrupted when someone stood by his side.

"Enjoying the view, Henry?"

"Hey, !" He greeted back with a smile on his face, not aware of what this old man's real intentions were, "I didn't know you're back. How are you?"

"Happier. Enjoying the things I have while I still can." Sydney replied with a look that even Henry could not decipher, "You should too, especially these kinds of moments with your mother, it might not happen again." Sydney winked at Henry and prepared himself to leave when he heard the doorbell ring.

With those words, Henry's smile turned into a frown.

* * *

All is well.

This is the perfect phrase to describe Storybrooke since Robin and Gold left the town line because since then, Storybrooke turned back into this perfect old town in Maine where everyone lives in peace and happiness. But it is a very different town if you will look at it at Regina's eyes.

For Regina, it feels like the nights had gone shorter as her days gone longer, and having to tutor a whiny 28 year old blonde for the fundamentals of magic doesn't help at all. Though she quite enjoy the younger woman's company in the past few days, the lesson that she teaches her as well as the sleepless nights that she has to endure because of the nightmares that plagues her seems to take toll on her health.

"See you at 10." Regina said before she turns off her phone and headed back to the diner. She haven't started today's lesson with Emma and here she is tired already before she even start.

She always feels tired these past few days. If not for her daily breakfast with Henry, she would still be in her big house and having an affair with her soft bed. She wants a good full body massage. No. She _**NEEDS**_ a _**GREAT**_ full body massage. Her bones hurt like hell.

Regina enter the diner with her warm smile (and she is still surprise whenever the townsfolk smiles back at her) as she made her way to Henry's favorite booth but she stopped on her tracks when she saw a man standing beside Henry, his back was turned on her direction so she couldn't see his face, but she could identify this figure of the man even if her eyes were closed.

It is Sydney.

_What does he want this time? _Regina thought as she ready herself to pull Sydney away from her son through his thinning hair and scalp him alive.

But Regina was not able to do that when she felt her heart skipped a beat as she saw how Henry's face frowned as the man turned his back on him with a smirk on his face and stare directly in her, and before she was even able to process her thoughts, Sydney walked straight to her, the smile never once leaving his abominable mouth, and stopped his tracks to stand before Regina.

"Hello, Madame Mayor." He said casually.

"Stay away from my son," Regina warned - nearly growled at the man before her, "He has nothing to do with this."

"You couldn't be more wrong, Madame Mayor." The man said with a hint of malice in his voice. Regina could feel herself cringe with disgust just by looking at his placid face and the thought of what he could possibly do to harm Henry. But she will not back down. She may not be the Queen in this world but she is still known as the woman with power and ability to break anyone who stands in her way, especially if that someone actually dares to hurt the person she loved the most, her son.

"Dare to hurt even a single piece of his hair and I swear, even the crows will not be able to feast on your foul carcass." Regina replied, almost a whisper, but her voice is still laced of poison and intent for murder, " **Stay. the hell.** Away. from _**us**_." She hissed as she emphasized her words, her voice a little louder for a whisper but a little softer for a yell.

Most of the people would have cowered once they heard the "Evil Queen's" threats, but not Sydney.

Instead, he just stood there, his smile grew wider and his eyes still fixed on her nearly enraged face, and then a hearty laugh left Sydney's lips.

"You never changed, Your Majesty. It is a pleasure to meet you too." Sydney replied which made Regina's brows to furrow as she saw something else within this man's eyes. Something even she could not understand, she just stood there and let the man pass through but when he is standing just by her side, he stopped on his tracks and touch the brunette's right shoulder, leaning close to her ear which made Regina stiffen her posture, "most especially when we are this close."

"Stay the hell away from me!" Regina said a bit louder than she intended as she pushed him away making other patrons of the diner to stop on their meal and stare at their direction, even Granny started to remove her apron and is about to approach them, she is too angry to care if she is actually making a scene in the small space of the diner, She wanted to incinerate him right there and then but she didn't do it, not while Henry is around and giving her that worried look on his face, not when there are people who might get hurt with the possible crossfire.

She just stood there with an evident rage on her face as she watched Sydney walking away without looking back and left the diner, when he is out of her sight, Regina let out a breath of air that she was not aware she was holding in.

"Mom, Is there something wrong?" Henry asked. She did not realized that Henry actually left his seat and is now standing right by her side, tugging her hands.

Regina relaxed her features before she look back at her son.

"Nothing Henry," she smiled, smoothing a wrinkle on her son's jacket, "Let's go to your Grandma's house, I need to go and meet Emma."

* * *

It's been a week since Sydney had made his presence known to Regina and within those days, Regina became more tired and listless. She felt like in every moment of the day someone is spying on her, like someone might take her by surprise and hurt her. Or worse, hurt Henry, Emma and the two idiots she now consider as her family.

He just doesn't stop taunting her, first he came into her house and made her living room his own creepy gallery, a couple of days after that, he sent her a broken mirror and just earlier that morning she found a broken marionette doll clothed like the Evil Queen just outside her front porch steps.

As much as Regina did not wanted to let the man get into her nerves, she could not stop herself thinking about him and the things that she had done to him. He couldn't blame the man for hating him. He was one of the few people whose willing to stay by her side during her highs and lows, and yet, just like her other loyal subjects that couldn't give what she wanted, she destroyed him, three times.

First is when she used him to murder her own husband, the very man who granted him his freedom as genie of the lamp and took leverage in his obvious obsession towards her back in the Enchanted Forest. And when he accidentally entrapped himself in the mirror as the price of the last wish he wanted for himself, she took great pleasure watching the man suffer in the confinements of her looking glass instead of giving compassion for the man who set her free as the trophy wife of the King.

Second is when she framed Sydney to do her bidding to take Katherine and make the town believe that the woman's disappearance is caused by a heartless murder whose crime will befall upon Mary Margaret. As expected, her plan failed and in order to avoid the stinky rooms of a jail cell, she convinced Sydney to confess the crime that she schemed, in which Sydney is more than willing to oblige - Which led him to another restricted confinement in an underground mental facility

Time and time again she tried to convince herself that everything that happened to Sydney is his own undoing. It is his own fault and that she tried to make the best out of the worst. From time to time again she believed it, after all she was still in her evil phase when she did those horrible things.

**But she is wrong.**

Because for the third time, when she found a perfect use for the poor man, she did not hesitate to take the opportunity, and like always, Sydney Glass is ecstatic to bend to her every whim. That is until she entrapped him once again as her Magic Mirror. But it appears like Sydney had finally took the last straw and planned for her demise as his affection turned into blood red vendetta against her.

And still she couldn't blame him for wanting to get back to her. But if that is the way he wanted to extract revenge he must find something better in order to scare her out of her wits.

"Is everything alright Regina?" Emma asked, taking her away from the reverie that plagued her mind, "You are not yourself."

Regina rolled her eyes as she tucked a fallen strand of her hair behind her ears, "Tell me about it." Regina scoffed as she took a seat at a fallen log near her, "of all the places that you could have picked as your training ground, you actually chose the forest – this muddy, smelly place – and you asked me if I'm alright. Seriously, Miss Swan." She replied, "If this is not torture for me, I don't know what is." She added because that is the truth.

Everything about the forest reminds her of Robin. The green leaves of the trees reminded her of the vest she gave him not long ago when the second curse struck, the vest he never fails to wear. The clear blue sky reminds her of his eyes. The cool winds of the forest remind her of the calming feeling he gives her and the scent of the forest… It's just… The forest makes her miss Robin even more.

"So if you don't mind Miss Swan," Regina said as she brushed the non-existent dirt that seem to keep falling upon her lap because it is the umpteenth time the she brushed her hands on her lap since they came, "practice your craft so my suffering will actually worth something . Now back to your lesson," Regina straightened her shoulder and changed demeanor to a more business manner, "close your eyes and try to concentrate on the place you wanted to teleport yourself to. Seriously, Miss Swan, this is one of the simplest tricks and you can't even do it. "

"Well that's the thing, Regina," Emma said sheepishly, "we are not here to train. And I did not bring you here to suffer."

"Emma." Regina said with an ominous tone on her voice, "Then why on earth are we here!?"

Emma was about to say something when someone suddenly called out for her attention.

"Oi, sherriff!" Will Scarlet yelled in a sing song-y voice, "I got me' self ready for me date!"

The two ladies just watched the man as he awkwardly made his way to their direction. Jumping –and almost slipping- to every fallen log that blocks his way. And when he did approached them he stood beside Emma, facing Regina.

"It seems like I am not dressed well enough for your presence, your majesty." Will said as he mocked a bow towards Regina.

"oh, Shut up!" Regina scoffed, "what on earth are you doing here? Are you not supposed to be with the Merry Men doing…." Regina paused, thinking what those former outlaws are doing since their leader left the town, and realized, she didn't know, "- whatever you are doing." She said waving her hands in circular motion as her right brow jerked upwards and then back.

"You're a real ray of sunshine, just like what Robin said." Will retorted with a smirk on his face.

"Shut it you two." Emma said before Regina could even retort.

Regina glared at her as the brunette pursed her lips.

"Regina, look," Emma mumbled, putting her hands on her waist as if weighing the words she was about to say, "well since Robin left…"

"Don't start Emma." Regina said putting her hand on air as she turn her back from Emma, "we can have this discussion one of these days but not today!"

Regina tried to walk away from Will and Emma, but the younger woman was able to take hold of her arms, "We need to talk about this. You keep putting me off whenever I try to talk to you and I let you everytime but today is not one of those days!"

Regina felt a pang in her heart as she heard the phantom voice of Robin saying the exact same words back in her vault when he decided to choose her over everything that holds him back, _today is not one of those days. _ Regina shut her eyes trying to push back the tears that now wells her eyes. She didn't want to talk about him and the thought that he is happily playing house with his family in New York and forgotten her while she's here.. just here. Not talking about her soulmate is what helps her be 'normal', helps her pretend she is not hurting, that she is healing.. but now Emma just stabbed her open wound and rubbed it with rock salt. It is too much for her right now.

The brunette opened her eyes but surprised that a new surrounding welcomed her. One moment she was standing beneath the canopy of the pines, but now, she is in a middle of half constructed house in a middle of the clearing.

"What the hell.." Regina said under her breath as she spun around making Emma to lose her grip, "you little bitch, "she hissed, "you can apparate yourself – you're playing dumb all this time! **You're PLAYING DUMB ALL THIS TIME**?" Regina yelled glaring at Emma then shifted her gaze to Will then back to Emma.

Emma winced and then she made a face, "Not really, I just learned how to poof... yesterday."

"And where the hell did you brought me?" Regina asked her nostrils flaring, she is not mad about Emma being able to apparate herself, she is mad at her for not telling her and made her look like a complete fool.

"Robin's house." Will interjected, "Well, Robin's half made house to be precise."

"Robin's what?" she replied, _so he is planning to make a house for him and Marian, _all the while when he was making her believe that he and she, that robin and her, that they… "I'm getting out of here." She said with finality as she moved past Emma.

"No you're not." Emma said, her voice is as equally stern as hers, "You need to hear us out. Give me at least 5 minutes, because none of us are leaving this place unless we talk."

Regina glared at Emma while the blonde just stared back at her, both women crossed their arms on their chest.

"One." She bargained.

"Four."

"Two."

"Three." Emma said with finality, "Three minutes, give me three minutes and we'll never talk about this again. Like. Ever."

Regina narrowed her eyes, weighing her options, "Fine, three minutes, your time starts now."

Emma took a deep breath.

"Regina, since Robin left, you are not the same –"

"The hell I am."

"Shut up, I have three minutes to talk, you shut up and listen." Emma's brows furrowed, "Since Robin left, you are not the same… Since Robin left, you walk around fooling everyone with this mayoral mask you expertly wore every day and acting like everything is like the way it is – you can fool them, Regina. But not me. Not Henry. Not your family."

"I- " Regina tried to argue but Emma cut her off again.

" – shut up, I still have a two minutes and a half." Regina pursed her lips tightly while Emma continued, "You are tired a lot lately, you can barely cast spells that is why you let me try your tricks without demonstrating it and even if you do, your magic barely leave your fingertips, whatever you are feeling obviously affect you not only emotionally but also magically, you act like you are okay, but you are not, your smile doesn't even reach your eyes anymore, the rest of the town is starting their lives – rebuilding their lives and yet here you are …" Emma's voice trailed off unable to utter the last word she was about to say as she saw Regina's eyes became glassy with the tears that is about to fall any moment, but Will Scarlet did.

"Stuck." Will said almost a whisper.

"Stuck…" Regina laughed coldly as her tears fall down her cheeks and quickly wiped them away, "Stuck."

"You need to move on too." Emma said softly, her voice full of sincerity. But instead of feeling the calmness that Emma wanted her to feel, it only broke the dam of pain and sadness she tried to keep since Marian came back.

"That's the point! I can't! I-" Regina snapped ungracefully, making Emma and Will jump off their feet, "They moved on with their lives" she said, her voice breaking, "Everybody moved on! Belle is parading herself around town with you with your cups of coffee and flirting laughters," Regina motioned out her hand at Will Scarlet, and then she waved her hands toward Emma, "You have your one-handed Jack Sparrow at your dismissal. Your parents are rebuilding their lives with you and Henry and Neal – everyone is moving on – everyone** MOVED ON**" Regina paused to catch her breath and wiped her tear stained cheeks and shake off the sense she was falling apart in front of these people, because she already is, "Robin and his family _moved on_, they **moved on** and left everything behind here in Storybrooke, including me_.." _she continued with her voice much lower than before hoping it will help her calm herself not to mention saying Robin's name takes away her energy, but her voice seems so small, she sobbed "I am _here. _Just here. Stuck. I _**DID**_ try to move on – I _**did**_ try to forget but_… __**I did try … **_and_I can't_. And it's _**killing**__**me**_." Regina sobbed.

"Regina.." Emma tried to reach out but Regina shoved her away.

"Don't – just don't" Regina shook her head, " Let me just walk away from all of this, because if you think this house that Robin is building for Marian will help me pick up the pieces and move on. It's most certainly will not."

"It's not for Marian," Will said clearing his throat.

"What did you said?" Regina asked her red eyes focused on Will's sullen face.

Will closed his eyes, _Robin is gonna kill me for this, _he thought.

"It's for you." Will said quietly, "He started building it a few days after that cracked up witch took your heart. He said, when the right time comes, when he got your heart back and when you are ready, he will ask you to marry him in a way you imagined it to be, in a way you wanted it to be." Will gave a small sad smile, "because that is what – in his words – My _other half _deserves_." _

Will stare at Regina, her eyes are now closed, her shoulders slumped and crying in front of him, and that moment he saw how vulnerable the former Evil Queen truly is. Robin was right, Regina is not as tough as everyone thought her to be. And he remembered the last words Robin told him before he left the town line:

"_Will Scarlet." Robin left little John's side to close the distance between them, "I need to ask you a favor."_

"_Anything for you mate."_

_Robin glance back at Regina's car and saw the woman talking with someone inside her car but could not distinguish who it was._

"_It's Regina," Robin started as he took something in his pocket and enclosed it in his palm, "kindly take good care of her while I am away."_

"_She can handle herself mate. No one would dare to approach her even at arms length."_

"_Will Scarlet, I mean it." Robin said with a serious look upon his face, "She is __**mylife**__. Will. She ... She is a shell of who she was and a ghost of who she wants to be. Protect her. Look after her. __**I beg of you**__. She's not as strong as what she wants everyone to see. So please, take care of her while I'm away."_

_Will was taken aback by the words the famous outlaw just said. He begged. The man who did not cower even in the face of death just begged him. For __**her..**_

"_No need to beg mate." Will said as he put his left arm on Robin's right shoulder, "I'll look out for her. For you. It's the least thing I can do after everything you did for me. I owe you that much"_

_Robin smiled and took Will's hand from his shoulder and slipped something between their palms. Something cold, small and... round._

"_Keep it, mate." Robin said with a sad smile on his face and glistening tears in his eyes, "I'm coming back for it. For her. For us. So don't even think about pawning it." He joked._

_Will just smiled and said nothing as he took a look at the ring on his hand. It was the same ring that Robin smith a few weeks ago, there was a small white diamond that Robin probably asked Leroy for. Will smile to himself as he enclosed his hand once again to hide it from the Regina who is making her way towards them._

"I am not supposed to show you this," Will said as he took something from his pocket and closed the distance between him and the former mayor. He took her hands and then placed the golden band to the woman's palms, "He made this with his own hands." He said, his eyes focused on Regina's, "for you." He smiled, "He's coming back milady, he'll be back for you. He will never leave you behind… ever."

Regina stared at ring on her palm. Her eyes are blurry but still she noticed something engraved on the ring.

_To where my heart leads me ~Robin_

Regina's eyes welled as she saw a sloppy engraved drawing in the ring a heart pierced by an arrow.. or was it an apple? She is not sure. But there's one thing she is certain… he is coming home.

* * *

That night, Regina felt calmer, more at peace, happier.

Henry was upstairs fussing around his room saying it feels so much smaller than he remembered and she just laughed, telling him that his room didn't shrunk, he just grew up. And the evening went like that in her used-to-be sad and depressing mansion. She and Henry laughing about things, about him fussing about what to wear to Grace's upcoming birthday in two weeks' time and she teasing her son about his crush (which Henry greatly denies with his whines and blush on his cheeks) and she'll burst out laughing which embarrass her son in the cutest of way Regina could ever seen. _**Gosh, he's really growing up.**_

It feels like she's complete again. No missing pieces. No nagging pain in her chest. Just happy. Knowing that he, her Robin, is coming back for her.. for them.

Regina left Henry's room leaving her adolescent son to fuss about his "coolest" outfit, went to her bar and pour herself a glass of wine, she then turn on their radio and let a soft music start to fill her upstairs living room.

_It started out as a feeling_

_Which then grew into a hope_

_Which then turned into a quiet thought_

_Which then turned into a quiet word_

Regina just sat on her sofa with her eyes closed and let herself carried away with the music as she slowly sway her head with the rhythm of the song filling her senses. She stayed like that for a moment until she started to hum the song and be in that moment, she decided to put down her glass of wine and started to sway on her hips while she continue to hum the song. She loved this song, it is her song or at least it is the song that best represent what she feels right now. She is not much of a dancer, she used to love to dance when she was younger, it was until she got married and life started to happen she decided to stop dancing. But tonight, she wants to dance, even if she dance alone.

_And then that word grew louder and louder_

_Till there was a battle cry… I'll come back when you call me_

_No need to say good bye_

The song started to overwhelm her senses that she did not heard the soft clicking of Henry's room as the young man decided to join his mother in the living room. It was their song, back when Henry was little and they watched Narnia not so long ago, whenever Henry feels sad and alone after a long day at school, she would sing this song right before she tuck him at night.

_Just because everything's changing _

_doesn't mean it was never been this way before_

_All you can do is try to know who your friends are_

_As you head off to the war_

"I don't think you thought me to how dance that well." Regina heard Henry's voice behind her taking her away from her reverie with an embarrassed blush upon her cheeks, "Oh, right you _never _taught me to dance at all."

"Because you are never interested to learn to dance." came Regina's reply as she tucks her hair behind her ear, "Besides, there's not much occasion here that requires dancing."

"But now there is." Henry replied and paused for a moment, a blush start to crept on his cheeks, "You see, uh… in Grace's birthday. Jefferson is setting up a Grand ball –ish of event and… there will be dancing and.. uh.. and…"

_Pick a star from the dark horizon and follow the light_

_You'll come back, when it's over, no need to say goodbye.._

"You wanted to have a dance with her."

"Yeah." Henry replied, his head bowed low, "or atleast, I don't want to step on her."

"You won't," Regina said softly as she took a step toward her son, and lifted his chin with her fingers, "Here, let me teach you."

_You'll come back when it's over… No need to say goodbye…_

Regina took her son's hands and showed him the basic how to's in dancing : How to ask the girl for a dance, how to hold a girl's hand while dancing and how to take the lead in a dance.

Regina laughed and wince in each time Henry steps on her, but she couldn't blame her son, it is his first formal dancing, and to be honest, she is quite thankful that her son is giving her his full attention in their waltzing lesson 101. At first she listen as her son counts his steps, looking at the floor from time to time to avoid his feet from colliding with hers, but somewhere in the middle of the song Henry managed to look at her straight in the eye and lead her throughout the dance.

"You're a natural dancer." Regina said with pride as she saw her son's smile.

"Nah. I just learned it from the best." He replied with a smug smile on his lips while he waltzed with his mother in the middle of their living room.

_Now we're back to the beginning.. it's just a feeling and no one knows yet_

_And just because they can't feel it too doesn't mean that you have to forget_

"So, Grace. You really like her, don't you?"

"Yeah, I think so." He replied as he let out a soft chuckle, "you do know how awkward it is to talk about my crush with you right?"

_Let your feelings grow stronger and stronger till they're before your eyes_

_You'll come back when they call you.. No need to say goodbye_

"I do." Regina replied as she made a twirl, "But I am glad you told me about it."

"Don't tell, Emma, please?" Henry pleaded, "At least not yet?"

"I wont. I promise." Regina replied as she made a face, "She will smother you with teases once she found out."

"I know," He winced, " I had enough from you today."

_You'll come back when they call you, no need to say goodbye…_

As the song is about to end, Henry made the last twirl and made a dramatic bow, "It's been an honor to share a dance with you your majesty."

Regina returned the gesture, "The honor is mine, my dear prince."

The two shared a hearty laughter seeing how ridiculous they look at the moment and yet, this is something that Regina will surely hold dear in her heart.

_how time flies, _ Regina thought as she look deep upon his kid's eyes.

She hugged Henry as tight as she possibly could and then she let go of him and kissed his forehead, "Can you please stop growing up? I don't want to lose you yet."

"Mom," Henry whined, "I was just having dance lesson, it's not like I am getting married."

"Right." She looked longingly at her son, "But soon you will be, and when that time comes, I want to be ready."

Henry made a face, "Then you will have a very very long time to prepare yourself, Mom. Because I am not doing it any time soon."

"You better be young man." She replied as she tousled his hair and kissed his forehead once again, but this time Henry whined and made a face.

"Mom, stop it."

"Okay, okay, I'll stop." She replied lovingly as she gently pushed her son towards his bedroom door. Regina is about to walk Henry to his room when their doorbell rang. They both stopped.

"Are you expecting someone?" Henry asked with a frown on his face.

"No." Regina replied, it was 10:30 in the evening, even the Charmings call her first before coming in to her house at this time of the night, "has Emma told you anything?"

Henry shook her head.

"Well that's odd." Regina said to herself, who would possibly pay them a visit at this time?

There's another ring from the doorbell.

"I'll go get it," Henry said but Regina stopped it.

"It's passed your bed time," Regina replied, "Go get into your room, I'll be with you later."

"Okay." Henry went inside his room while Regina rushed downstairs, the person on her front porch seems to have an pressing matter to discussed since it just pressed her buzzer a hundred times in every second.

"I'm coming!" Regina yelled as she rushed on her staircase and another *ping* echoed on her house, and when she finally reached her front door she yelled as another *ping* came bothering her eardrums, "will you stop pressing the damn buzzer!"

Regina jerked the door open and ready to scold anyone standing on the other side, but the view that welcomed her caught her by surprise.

"Good evening, Your majesty. Seems like you already forgotten about me."

* * *

**Okay.. so that's all for this pretty long chapter... uhm.. I do really hope you enjoy it and if there's anything I can do to improve my writing, I'd be more than happy to hear it from you. By the way, I am half done for the next chapter and I'll be uploading it in two weeks time (which is a dark chapter so beware), I hope you are still with me when I uploaded it :D **

**BTW I would like to thank the adorable WoolGrillRegal for answering my questions and I bow to Taylor King for his/her awesome story on A03 which is a thousand times better than this fic. I hope I don't upset him/her if we somehow have the same theme. I promise this one will be on the different path from your writing, I hope I didn't upset anyone when I wrote this..  
**

**Once again thanks for reading and have an awesome day! Besos!**


	5. Chapter 5: The Evil Queen's Awakening

**Wow! You are still with me and for that I would like to extend my heartfelt thank you's! First, Thank you so much for following and favoriting (I am not sure if that's a word) my story, you have no idea how much it means to me and reading your reviews for my story is truly exhilarating! I mean, in each time I was notified that you left reviews, I was really excited and inspired and I literally squeal and jump off my feet! Also, thank you 4everfiction, MadaMadySan and everyone who leaves reviews and for your encouragement because without you guys, I wouldn't be updating my fics.. :D**

**So here it is, I hope that in this fic, I will be able to redeem myself. Thank you so much guys!**

* * *

Regina opened her eyes as she felt the cold wind brushing against her skin and felt that her body was rested in a cold, rough and wet surface. She tried to focus her view on something. Anything. She saw something glitters before her. She closed her eyes once again as she felt her tiredness started to engulf her body again. Where was she? She opened her eyes once again and this time she was able to make out the glittering vision before her… It was the stars shining brightly in the evening sky.

There are sounds of crickets and night owls and rustling of leaves. She closed her eyes and the scent of wet soil mixed with burnt wood started to fill her nostrils.

Was she in the Merry men's camp?

_Robin?_

She tried to lift her head to get up but her body felt so heavy all she could do was to look sideways to see if her deductions were right. But it is not. There are no loud chatters or heartfelt laughter that often filled the place whenever the merry men were around. There are no tents or bonfire, no Little John, or Will Scarlet or Allan… There's no one there…

"Robin?" She called out… her voice was hoarse and weak, "Robin…" she repeated as she closed her eyes. God she was tired… "Robin?" she whispered to herself hoping he was there as she started to feel the possible danger of her vulnerable state

She heard footsteps coming towards her, she tried to roll over to her stomach so that she could push herself upward, but she can't. Even her arms failed to support her limping body.

What's going on? She can't remember.

The footsteps stopped before her. She tried to look up but her head felt too heavy.

_Robin… is it you? _Regina thought as she closed her eyes for a moment. _You came back…for me?_

"I am glad your awake, my Queen," Regina snapped her eyes open as she heard the a man's voice which is certainly not from Robin, his voice is so deep it sounded like it came out from the deepest corner of hell, "We can finally begin."

Regina felt a pair of hands started to roll her over so that she was once again lying on her back. Regina tried to focus her eyes to the man before her but it is so dark she couldn't see his face… Just his silhouette, and even that she couldn't recognize him.

Her thoughts are hazy. It was as if she is in between the state of dreaming and being wide awake. She saw a pair of hands hover above her body, the right hand holding a scroll and the other holding a small orb. She just watched silently as those hands combined the two materials together and it gave out a brownish surge of light. Regina wanted to struggle as she sensed the ominous aura coming out from the lights that now hovers her body. But if she did struggled or let herself succumb to this light, she couldn't remember because at that moment everything went black…

* * *

**\- -An Hour earlier- - **

"_**Good evening, Your majesty. Seems like you already forgotten about me."**_

Sydney was standing at her front porch, smiling sweetly at her, there is something different about him since the last time she saw him in human form. Something she cannot put a finger on.

"Indeed I have." Regina replied coldly, her eyes glaring at Sydney while she was pulling her robe together to hide the thin satin of pajamas that she was wearing from the lingering look of this creep, "So go away and leave me in peace before I roast you alive." With these last words, Regina slam the door shut on his face. She immediately locked and secured the bolts on her door with her magic, making sure that he will not be able to enter her house like the way he did a couple of days ago. She is not crazy enough to welcome that creep and let him step into her peaceful abode, most especially at this time of the night. She must call David and Emma and tell them she's having a situation in her house. But as she reached to her pockets, she realized that she left it at her bedside table before she went to Henry's room that evening.

She immediately march her way towards the staircase, her body relaxed knowing that Sydney will stop bothering her once he is back to his seclusion in the underground asylum at the hospital. She was not prepared when a sudden surge of energy erupted behind her that caused her to be thrown across the wall beside her staircase, colliding with the mirror that was hanging there and falling unto the floor with a loud sound of shattering glass.

"What the hell?" she muttered to herself, still in shock at the force that thrown her off as she tried to push herself up from the floor. When she look at the direction of where the magic just came from, Regina saw a gaping hollow on where her door used to stand. Her eyes are still blurry due to her collision against the wall, but she was able to distinguish a black pair of suede shoes headed towards her direction. She tried to stand but her hands and legs felt wobbly and needed to lean on the wall to steady herself.

Her suspicions are correct. Sydney has magic. But how?

Isn't he supposed to be stripped off his magical abilities once he was freed as a genie? Isn't it one of the rules of wish granting abilities of a genie?

He is coming closer towards her, the heels of his shoes are making these strange echoes to her now quiet house now that Henry is probably asleep in his room.

_Henry…_

_Her son is with her in this house.. with this man before her…She must get Henry away from here and she must do it quick. It is dangerous for him to be around the house with this kind of threat. __**Because that is what Sydney is to her right now, a threat.**_

If only she had told Emma about Sydney the first time he made his presence known, perhaps they wouldn't have come to this. But she didn't. She was too occupied and too proud to admit she needs help. She blames herself for putting her and Henry in this situation.

"It is not very polite to slam the door to someone else's face, most especially, if they are talking at you, don't you think your majesty?" Sydney asked rhetorically as he made his way towards her.

Regina glared at him, still trying to focus her hazy vision. She is not sure if she was seeing things but from where she was standing, it seemed like there are other figures moving behind the delusional reporter. Regina stood up straight as she regained her strength and composure, having herself on guard on any attack that this man may throw at her.

"Didn't anyone ever told you as well that it is not nice to come in a house when you are not invited!" Regina retorted as she summoned her energy on her right hand and used her magic to push Sydney far away from her causing the man to fall face first on the ground with a loud thud.

Regina immediately flexed her hands to form a fireball, wincing as she felt the pain on her right shoulder that resulted from her collision, but still, she schooled her features and stares coldly at the man before her, "Not to mention, you just broke my door!" she added sarcastically, "Now get the hell away from my house, Sydney or I swear the last thing your skin will touch is my fireball." Regina warned with her hands on the air ready for assault at any moment.

Her son is upstairs and hell shall break lose if anything will ever happen to Henry on her watch.

Sydney stood up with a smile on his lips, she did not even bruised him.

"Not until I had what I came for." He replied and even before Regina could react, Sydney waved his hand towards her direction and her fireballs died out. Regina waved her hands once again, trying to summon her magic, but she can't feel any.

"Do you really think, I would come charging in here unprepared?" Sydney taunted as he took a step forward towards the former Mayor.

Regina took a step back feigning her brave face on. But she felt something took hold of her ankles which caused her to fall down, butt first on the ground. She saw the glitter of joy on Sydney's face upon seeing the helplessness she was in.

"Come on, Regina, stop playing hard to get and come with me." Sydney said as he paused on his tracks to gaze upon the fallen figure of the Queen, "I promise to make you the happiest woman in the world. I can give you anything you ever wanted, all you have to do is come with me." Sydney said in a dreamy voice as he wave his hand and summon his magic to surround Regina.

Regina felt her skin crawl as the man was practically standing on her feet, looking down at her. She tried to push herself away from where she was sitting, but the magic that grasped her ankles kept her in place.

Regina lifted her hands, trying to call upon the magic she knows she possess but still none of it came out from her system.

What kind of sorcery does he used that made him block her magic?

And the fact that she doesn't know what to do to counteract his advances made the unknown sense of fear crept into her gut.

"Don't struggle, My Queen. You might hurt yourself," Regina felt her skin crawl as she felt another wave of magic started to enclose around her wrists and lifted her on the ground, spread eagle. The panic that she felt the moment this man intrude her house is now visible on her face as she struggled to set herself free from the confinements of his magic, "We wouldn't want that to happen, would we?"

When she realized that all her fighting will be fruitless, Regina stopped struggling. She took a deep breath and once again schooled her feature to look straight into the man's eyes. She must not panic, she must not make any noise that may alarm his son who is now in his room, probably sleeping. She must find a way to get this man away from her house to make sure Henry will be safe no matter what the consequence will be for her. Her son always comes first. Her son should be kept safe... Always.

"So that's it?" Regina feigned a smirk on her face to match the taunting look that Sydney is giving her, "You learned a little magic, and here you are thinking you can break me down just as easily?"

"Oh, indeed. And I shall enjoy every moment of it."

"Well, go ahead, _Mirror._" She dared, "Go ahead and kill me."

Sydney gave out a hearty laugh that echoed on the corners of her house, "Kill you? After all you did to me, do you really think, I would let you slip away so easily? You're being too optimistic, My Queen. That's what happens when you associate yourself with that step-daughter of yours. Killing you is never part of my plan… But you getting your rightful punishment, certainly is."

Regina's eyes widened as she felt something enclosed on her throat, squeezing her neck tightly as she felt her breath begin to constrict. She also felt her limbs being pulled apart as the invisible force that bounded her legs and wrists started to stretch her body into four different directions. And it hurts. It hurts so bad she started to pull herself together and squirmed to free herself from the confines whilst trying to muffle her scream that's now trapped within her constricted throat. It felt even worse when she felt Sydney's hand caress her now flushed cheeks as he looked directly into her eyes, watching her in her predicament.

Regina was close to passing out when she heard a broken voice yell behind her and before she could react, she felt herself fell on the floor with a loud thud as she wheezed and coughed to fill her lungs with air that she was deprived moments ago.

There was a moment of relief when she realized that she was released from the deathly grasps of Sydney's magic, but that relief died shortly as she realized who it was who tried to save her..

**It's Henry.**

* * *

Henry sat in his bed with the story book on his lap, flipping around the pages of the book hoping to find something that will lead them to the author. He didn't know what happened between his two mothers but he is glad that it made Regina happier; he felt that happiness when she taught him how to waltz earlier in the living room. Her eyes showed the missing glow when she smiled and that made him happy. Very happy. But his thoughts were interrupted when he heard the door slamming hard downstairs and was followed by a loud explosion just a couple of moments later.

Alarmed, Henry left his room quietly as he went to the stairs as swiftly as he could to see what is going on downstairs. It was then when he saw his mother flailing her hands in the mid-air as if fighting a magical confinement.

His mother was being attacked. He was even more surprised when he saw who the attacker was. It was one of his mother's friend, Sydney. The boy was no longer able to process his thoughts on why one of her mother's friend was hurting her as his instinct to protect his mother kicked in.

Henry ran back to his room and ransacked his toy box, pulling out a long forgotten slingshot Marco made for him for his 13th birthday. He also pulled out a couple of starwars lego figures underneath his table before running towards the stairs and aimed for the man's eye.

"_**Leave my mom alone!" **_Henry yelled on the top of his lungs hoping it will distract Sydney as he released the projectile from his grasp. Sadly his aim was not as impeccable as he thought it was when he missed his target and hit him in the head instead. But what matters is that it served its purpose, it took the man by surprise as he tumble on the floor and lost its death grip upon his mother.

Henry immediately ran to his mother's aid helping her get up from the cold ground.

"Henry?" Regina breathed as her gaze shifted from Sydney to her son who is now holding her by the arm, helping her to get up. She was still disoriented with what just happened. Her thoughts only came to focus when Sydney stood up wiping the blood that now drips from his head from a cut resulted from Henry's attack. Regina immediately pulled Henry back so that she was now standing before her son, shielding him from Sydney's eyes.

"Good evening, Henry," Sydney greeted menacingly, and then he fixed his eyes at Regina's direction, who is now shielding her son with her own body, "You didn't tell me you've got company, I should've paid my respects to the prince." Sydney said as he flexed his fingers.

Regina yelped as she felt her son being roughly pulled away from her grasp and been dragged across the room. The Queen tried to run after Henry to protect him, but a black streak of magic blocked her path and threw her back against the wall.

"What are you doing! Let him go!" Regina yelled at Sydney while she struggled to set herself free from the magic that pins her on the wall. The fear that Regina tried to keep at bay started to engulf her thoughts when saw the pained expression on her son's face when he was slammed against the kitchen floor where he was thrown into. "Don't – **Henry**!" She felt a sudden panic on her heart as she heard a loud thump as Henry's head slammed into the ground knocking him unconscious. That bump on the head could lead into serious injury so tried to pull herself away from the wall the she was stuck in, summoning every ounce of strength into her body inorder to free herself and make sure that his son is alright. But all her struggles are futile as she felt another pull towards the wall in each time she thought she was close in freeing herself all the while she was screaming in hopes that her neighbors would hear the commotion and call the sheriff station.

"Why should I?" Sydney chuckled, "My fun is just starting." With another wave of his hand, the knives that she kept on her rack started to animate and pointed their sharp edges into Henry's fallen figure.

"Don't! Sydney! Don't do this! If you wanted to hurt someone hurt me! Henry had nothing to do with this! **Henry! Henry!**" Regina shook her head as she continue to scream out her son's name. The fear that she felt had turned into terror as saw figures starting to emanate from the floor of her kitchen where Henry was trapped in and began to wrap itself around the unconscious figure of the lad. She watched helplessly as Henry's fallen figure started to float in midair while knives are pointed on his neck, heart, brain and other parts of his body.

Regina looked back at Sydney who seemed to enjoy her suffering. Her vision are glassy with the tears she tried to stop from falling, she tried to glare at Sydney but it seems like even her glares had lost their sting as Sydney gave out a hearty laughter at her, **"Let him GO!" **Regina yelled but Sydney just ignored her and instead, he looked upon the sleeping face of her son.

"Would you look at that.." Sydney gasped with awe whilst looking at the boys sleeping face, "He still looked exactly like that little tyke you brought home from Boston." Sydney gave a small whistle as one of the knives that's pointed upon the kid's body started to graze on the soft cheek of her son.

Regina bit her lip to stop the sob that's about to escape from her mouth, her tears began to flow freely on her eyes as she realized the helplessness they are currently in... And it is all her fault. If she had only told Emma, if she didn't wallow on her emotions… her son's life wouldn't be in danger.

"I wonder what would you feel to watch your son bathe in his own blood?" Sydney said in a trance like voice as he started to take a step towards Regina, "Well, I guess you won't feel a thing… after all, you're used to seeing the people you love die before your very eyes, don't you, _Regina?_"

"Don't do it…" Regina said with desperation, "Please.. I beg of you… not my son." Regina is not a person who will back down on any other circumstance, even if it will endanger her life, she wanted to be strong. She wanted to look strong even when she is in the brink of her death, but right now, seeing the predicament that her son was in, she doesn't care anymore. She doesn't care if she is weak. She doesn't care of anything. All that matters is her son and her son alone.

But Sydney just laughed at her. Mocked her with his grin and his eyes as he run his eyes on her figure from head to toe.

"I couldn't believe this!" Sydney laughed, "The Evil Queen just begged me for mercy! This is sweet I should've record it." He laughed again as he closed his distance between the Queen and ran his rough hands against her soft and wet cheek, "You need not to beg, Regina… why should you? You didn't have any qualms when you killed your father, you didn't mourned as much when you watched your mother died, and you moved on when your stable boy had faced his demise…. So why would Henry's death be any different? Let's face it… You are well trained in such tragedies of life… They will all die… all that you love will die… but I… I will always be here… I will never leave your side…. I will always be yours as you are always be mine… Always." With those words Sydney leaned his face towards Regina as he claimed her lips for a kiss.

Regina shut her eyes and moved her head sideways to avoid Sydney's lips but as soon as he claimed her mouth visions of her father, mother and Daniel flash before her very eyes. She was there, witnessing as their eyes lost their luster as their life is slowly drained away from their body… She was there watching the continues loop of death of her loved ones over and over again… But she will not let the same thing happen to Henry. She would rather die.

_Kill him_

Regina heard a voice in her head as the visions of her deceased loved ones swam over her fuzzy head. The voice was cold, and dark and full of hate… It is a voice she had known all to well… It was her own voice. THE EVIL QUEEN's VOICE

_Look at how pathetic you look… do you see what love does to you? It weakens you. If you will just let me take over once again, you will not be in this pain. Henry will not be in danger. If you will just let me, I will kill him for you. I will give him a slow death laced with debilitating pain that he surely deserves._

_If you just let me be you again, Regina… This suffering will be over._

Slowly, the terror that once consumed her was replaced by that familiar feeling she had known all the years she spent as the Evil Queen… She felt hatred and anger and darkness overwhelmed her once again. She felt that that familiar pull of Dark Magic run into her veins as she opened her tear stained eyes and focus her blurry vision towards Sydney. There is but one thought that runs into her mind at that moment.

**Murder Sydney.**

* * *

He is pleased with himself as he saw the calm purple aura that surrounds Regina started to darken and became disruptive. This is exactly what he needed to complete his curse, this is exactly how he planned it to happen. Inorder to wake the darkness that is buried deep within Regina's heart, he must broke her the way she was never broken before, he must break her in a way that she would be reminded of the things that made her the Evil Queen that terrified every living soul back in the Enchanted Forest. Sydney knows that his darkness will never be enough to recharge the scroll that contains the Curse of the Empty Heart. But Regina's magical impulse, her regrets, her sorrows, her pain, her hatred, it is more than enough to make his work complete. And now, watching the Evil Queen be awaken in the deepest depths of Regina's being will surely complete everything that he needed. Sydney could not contain his glee as he saw her eyes gave that dark purple glow that will soon reignite the darkness in her heart and will bring back her dark magic in full swing. So even before Regina was able to tear herself out of the confinements of Sydney's magic, he materialized a crystal orb in his hand and started to suck the magic out of the Queen.

He didn't realized how powerful Regina must've been until he heard the street lamps began to explode outside and the thunder and lightning began to lit up the sky. Sydney didn't stopped sucking Regina's magic even though the woman started to writhe and scream in pain as every last bit of her magic was drained from her body which made the crystal orb glow with dark stained purple hues.

Sydney's eyes shifted towards Regina's now unconscious body that's still pinned against the wall. Despite of the mess the she looked right now, her hair tossed in every direction and now covered her ash pale face, she still look as stunning as the first time he met her by the apple tree. And once he is complete, he will no longer have to look from a distance to admire her beauty for this woman will be his tonight and for the rest of eternity.

Now to finish his work, Sydney waved his hand and transported himself with Regina to the woods where he will finally enact the curse, leaving Henry fall unconscious on the floor with all the knives that was once pointed at him. And just like that, the house was silent as if nothing ever happened.

* * *

A thousand miles away from Storybrooke, Maine, Robin woke up with a scream. His heart was beating loudly as the visions of his nightmare was imprinted in his mind. He closed his head as he tried to shake away the fallen vision of the woman he loves from his mind for he knows that her being in danger is the last thing that will ever happen, most especially his Merry men are watching over her.

He was about to go back to sleep when he heard a small sob coming out from his son's trembling lips. Roland is awake and crying while Marian was still in deep slumber beside his son. Roland squirmed his body towards his father as Robin lie down in bed and wrapped an arm around his son

"What is wrong, my son." Robin asked softly as he gently brushed his hand on Roland's brown curls.

"Regina..._she's gone." _Roland replied with a small broken voice, "I saw her in my dream, Papa... she said she's leaving and I tried to run after her but she... she just gone... She can't be gone, right Papa? She's still in Stroryboorke, waiting for us, Right Papa?"

Robin looked with surprise at his son's sleepy yet fearful eyes, Roland dreamt the same dream that he had...

Robin's heart pounded on his chest as a thought came into his mind...

Regina.. did she just... she couldn't be...

* * *

**Thank you so much for reading! I love you... :)  
**


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